Safety has become a top priority for both the Indian government and the automotive industry. This renewed focus follows the official launch of Bharat NCAP by Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, in December 2023, a government-led crash test programme designed to ensure passenger vehicle safety. Since its introduction, Bharat NCAP has tested 17 vehicles, and here are the top five safest cars in India.
Mahindra XEV 9e — 77 points
Mahindra takes the top honours with its flagship all-electric SUV, the XEV 9e. The EV has taken the market by storm with its driving range, performance, price and safety features. The XEV 9e topped the charts as it scored 32 out of 32 points in Adult Occupant Protection (AOP). The EV SUV scored 45 out of 49 points in Child Occupant Protection (COP).
It topped in Dynamic score and CRS installation score but was four points shy in the vehicle assessment score. It comes standard with 6 airbags and seven in case of the top trim, Level 2 ADAS, all 3-point seat belts, a 360-degree camera, etc. The XEV 9e is priced from Rs 22.65 lakh to Rs 31.25 lakh, ex-showroom.Â
Mahindra BE 6 — 76.97 points
The Mahindra BE 6 lost the crown to its bigger siblings in such fine margins. The BE 6 is packed with the same safety features, suit and battery packs. Where the XEV 9e scored full marks in Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) out of 32 points, the BE 6 missed out by 0.3 and scored 31.97. In the Child Occupant Protection (COP) test, the BE 6 scored 54 points out of 49, identical to the XEV 9e. The BE 6 is priced from Rs 19.65 lakh to Rs 27.65 lakh, ex-showroom.
Mahindra Thar Roxx — 76.09 points
The third safest vehicle on Indian roads is also a Mahindra. After launching the much-awaited Thar Roxx last year, the four-door version along with the previous three-door SUV, is the second most successful nameplate in the Mahindra lineup. The Thar Roxx scored
31.09 out of 32 in Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) and 45.00 out of 49.00 points in Child Occupant Protection (COP). The SUV is available with 2-litre petrol and 2.2-litre diesel engines mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic torque converter. The Thar Roxx is priced from Rs 12.99 lakh to Rs 23.29 lakh, ex-showroom.
Skoda Kylaq — 75.88 points
The Skoda Kylaq is the only vehicle that does not come equipped with a Level 2 ADAS suite. Skoda proves its approach by acing the physics behind car safety as ADAS technology is a secondary function. Skoda’s first sub 4 metre SUV earned 30.88 out of 32 points in Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) and 45.00 out of 49.00 in Child Occupant Protection (COP). The Kylaq is the safest compact SUV in the country. It starts from Rs 8.25 lakh to Rs 13.99 lakh, ex-showroom.
Kia Syros — 74.63 points
Kia Syros petrol has broken all the myths by being the only MPV to break into the top five safest cars list. The Syros scored 30.21 out of 32 in Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) and 44.42 out of 49 in Child Occupant Protection (COP). The 1-litre turbo petrol churns 118 bhp and 172 Nm of torque and the 1.5-litre diesel produces 114 bhp and 250 Nm. The Syros petrol is priced from Rs 9.50 lakh to Rs 16.80 lakh, ex-showroom while the diesel range is from Rs 11.30 lakh to Rs 17.80 lakh, ex-showroom.
